Castle Zion
by bi-boy
Summary: Read Mossflower? Remember Kotir? This is Kotir, before it was Kotir, when it was Castle Zion...Note: Zion was inspired by the name for the homeland of the Jews which is known as Zion. I began writing this story before The Matrix came out or at least be
1. Prologue

Author's Note:Some may say I took the name of Zion from "The Matrix," the last human bastion on earth near the Earth's core.A reviewer made this… accusation in their review leaving me no means to rebut it so I shall do it here.I wrote this little incomplete piece during the summer of my either Freshman or Sophomore year in High School.And either before, or during the time "The Matrix" was out in the theatres.Now I didn't see the movie until a good amount of time after it was on VHS.And I saw it cold, no prior knowledge of it.So just to those who care, no, I didn't take the name Zion from "The Matrix" but if anything from my past religion of The Church of Jesus Christ of Later-Day Saints.So there's that.

Aegis and Sara stood side by side in front of the portcullis that were the only blockage for a large band of vermin that waited only the length of the drawbridge away from the pair. Stalwart determination burned deep inside their stares, they were a strong couple of mice, with couple being literal. They were mates, of the truest sense. Their love was without spans or end. It was undying.  
The pitch blackness of night was no place for light or truth, but that which was illuminated by a pair of wall torches over the mice's' heads and more torches being carried by the vermin, and the sheer honor that radiated from the lovers' beings.  
"I said roll them over and kill them! We are many, they are few!" shouted a deep voice from the bustling activity of the small army, "Where are they, give me that!" he continued to shout, moving his way up after snatching a torch from some lanky rat. Then, he emerged from the lake of creatures. It was a fox, thin and muscular, but tall. Sharp orange fur, and a wide stripe of white, covered his large frame. Dressed in a large, overtly large to be exact cape, no one could tell what tools of death he carried beneath it. Heaving with each angered breath, he stared at the pair, then in an instant turned compassionate, "Now my dear friends…what do you think you are doing here? Honor, the honor your showing, will not save this castle, nor your lives…so please, do not die a needlessly painful death, and simply back away." A warm smile, that in every sense appeared genuine, even the glimmer in his eyes, covered his face.  
Aegis spoke with a thick accent and a bold determination that shot out at the vermin, "We ain't given up this 'ere castle ta 'u, nor any virmin scoom." Even as he spoke, the sleeping soldiers of the castle were being risen from their slumber. Aegis, as well as Sara both knew that they wouldn't live to see the dawn, to see their beloved son Vanguard grow up, but they knew the sacrifice of their lives, would give him a chance to live. Sara, as dire as her husband, nodded. They both gripped the handles of their broadswords tight as the vermin rushed ahead, to wash over the martyrs…


	2. Chapter 1

Noonday shone brilliantly through the large rectangular windows on the eastern tower of Castle Zion. There were only four of them, but with the sun and were it was, and also the incredibly beautiful skylight, more than enough light was given. Dust easily floated around the large and spacious spire room. An aged owl stood with his back against a wall; he was facing eight young creatures, all of whom where at or around the age of eighteen. First; there was Gerald, a medium sized squirrel with a rounded jaw that had his crossed arms on his desk, with his head laying on them. Behind him was Kain and Vanguard. Kain, was the only badger in the entire class. Tall, strong, sinewy, the complete physical description of a badger but, his mind was that of a cheerful dibbun. There he sat with an odd grin on his face and sat and watched the owl, seemingly swimming in joy. Beside him was Vanguard, a tall and medium built mouse who sat slightly hunched over his desk, looking up at the owl from time to time as he sketched out a drawing on a piece of parchment. Then behind those two were the only females of the class. Sypha and Teran. Teran was a beautiful mousemaid who sat, not necessarily at full-complete attention, but upright, giving the owl her attention, as well as the left-side window. Beside her, her best friend and confidant, Sypha the Squirrel. She held the fastest run time around the castle perimeter, and a luscious figure with curves many young creatures would die for.  
The owl blinked his large yellow eyes in his sagging eye sockets and asked in a warm intelligent voice, "Good afternoon my dears, whom has completed their assignment for the morning?" All creatures raised their paws, except Vanguard who continued sketching. The owl smiled and lowered his head as he shook it slightly, then raised it and called out loudly, "MISTER VANGUARD."  
Vanguard jolted in his seat, causing everyone to stifle a giggle, except for Gerald whom he had just awakened, then quickly shuffled his sketching under his other parchments and replied curtly and swiftly, "Yes headmaster Sirius?"  
Leaning in with a pleading voice of question, "Mr. Vanguard, did you do the assignment I gave you this morning?"  
"Um…" hummed out Vanguard as he thumbed through his parchments, then placed one on top, "Yes headmaster Sirius! I did." Replied Vanguard, smiling with his small over-bite and hazel eyes.  
"Good," remarked Sirius, "now shut your mouth you little idiot." He finished with a smile as the other's laughed, not so much cruelly, but at the humor of the headmasters' response. Pacing back forth in front of a white slate board, made of a thin sheet of granite, Sirius brushed off his ashen feathers then picked up a piece of rod charcoal and asked, "Who, can tell me who died in the Martyrdom of the Early Morn?"  
All of the youth's paws shot up, but no one but Vanguard and his eyes' held the knowledge closer and as true. "Yes Mister Vanguard, please tell us."  
The young mouse's voice said clear and calm, but tempered, "Chief of the Guard Aegis and his wife, Sara."  
"Correct, correct…" mused the headmaster as he paced the granite board, head bowed in respect, "Exactly, what why were they the only ones awake at the time of the attack, Ms. Teran?"  
Clearing her throat, the lovely mousemaid then answered, her voice echoing through the lofty wooden spire, "All of the other wall guards had been killed where they stood, by The Traitor Malgen."  
"Good, good…" nodded the wise owl, "Mister Gerald, please tell us who Malgen, The Traitor was?"  
Gerald shook in his seat after being startled at hearing his name, scratching into his wooden seat even more with his spines, but woke quick enough to hear the question, "Malgen was a trusted guardsmen. He was a squirrel and keeper of the gate. Before-"  
"Thank you, Mister Gerald, thank you…Ms. Sypha, please tell us hat Malgen did, to hamper the security of the castle before the attack?"  
Placing a small clenched paw over her mouth, she let out a small and dainty cough and answered in a small and beautiful voice, "Before the attack, Malgen went from each wall guardsmen to the next, nicking them with a poison laced knife. The poison was potent enough to kill the men where they stood. After that, he lowered the drawbridge and was about to raise the portcullis when-"  
"Excellent, Ms. Sypha, Kain, please bring us home."  
Nodding solemnly, aware and knowing of the gravity of the topic being discussed better than everyone save Vanguard and Sirius, Kain spoke, "As Malgen went to raise the portcullis, Aegis had become aware of what had happened after he attempted to speak with a guardsmen on the wall. The guardsman was dead. He had been walking with his wife Sara through the gardens at this time. Thinking quickly, Aegis ran to the gatehouse, and killed Malgen where he stood. That is when he and his wife saw the large mass of vermin outside the portcullis, sent a young watchman who had been napping in the gatehouse and avoided death, and sent him to wake the troops and told him an account of what had happened."  
"Now Kain, please tell me why those two went outside the portcullis, rather than waiting behind them for the vermin?"  
"From the drawbridge to the parade ground of the castle, the inner walls of the main wall get wider going to the parade ground. If the two had allowed the vermin to take down the portcullis, and then charge them, they would have been easily surrounded as opposed to the bottle neck they caused on the drawbridge."  
"And why wasn't the drawbridge risen?"  
"Malgen had broken the chain to hold up the bridge."  
Just as the opened his beak to speak again, a deep bass toll of the large Orion's Bell range out over the castle. Sirius closed his beak, then opened it again stating with a smile, "Good job class, you are all dismissed for lunch."  
  
"Jeez Gerald didn't you get enough sleep in library while we were doing our assignment?" remarked Sypha with a smile as the quintet of comrades moved their way down the long lunch counter, which was adorned with many assorted breads, fruits, cheeses and beverage of all types.  
"No, I only got a few hours then." Replied Gerald, smiling back as he reached out over the table and grabbed a sizeable piece of wheat bread.  
It was now the late afternoon and the sun was still hanging high in the sky, casting light over the all parts of the castle's inner grounds. Being lunchtime, nearly all of the castle's creatures where assembled in a long line that stretched from the northwestern to the southwestern corners of the castle's lengthy and immense perimeter wall. Built with highly durable red-sandstone that had been white washed, the castle glimmered brightly in the sunlight. Running along the Western Wall was a long and skinny building of some sort, which was in fact, the kitchen. With it outside the main building, the cooks could simply prepare food with the facilities provided inside the kitchen, then place their dishes on the counter that faced into the castle. During mealtimes the creatures would start at the northwestern corner of the western wall and work their way down, taking the food they wanted and then veering off onto the soft green grass on the inner castle grounds to dine.  
"What is it with you boys, you seemed to be just spacing actually." Commented Teran as she nudged Vanguard and winked.  
"What?" grinned Vanguard as he poured himself a glass of wonderfully chilled mint tea, and another for Teran. "I was drawing a picture mind you."  
"Oh really?" replied Teran with a nod as she took the glass Vanguard held out, "Of what may I ask?"  
"Why of you of course." Beamed Vanguard as he continued moving down the dark oaken counter, then stopped and heard snoring from under the counter, he looked at where it was saw that the window slat was closed off for this part of the counter. Vanguard smiled and started banging on the slat, "Antoine! Ya nutty goose wake up before that bilge pirate Thann catches you!"  
A snort shot up from under then the counter coupled with a shuffle of movement, then a-  
BANG!!!  
"OwWwWwwwWWww!" cried out a higher pitched squirrel voice. The slat flew back and there was a short slender squirrel, paws atop his chef's hat-covered head and eyes clenched close in pain.  
The creatures in the immediate area all laughed aloud at the scene while Vanguard continued, his face full of mirth, "Antoine, you okay man?"  
"Yeah I'm fine." Replied the squirrel, still rubbing his head and opening his blue eyes, "Oh wow this hurts."  
"I'd imagine, it is solid oak." Added Kain with his deep baritone voice, grinning as he grabbed a whole apple pie.  
"No, really?" snapped Antoine as he finally stopped rubbing his head and re-arranged his hat.  
"Hey, where'd you go after we all went to the library?" asked Vanguard.  
"Had a couple things to finish back here at the kitchen…" answered Antoine, as he shot under the counter and came back up with a light blue colored pitcher in the shape of a swan, and set it down on the counter.  
"Ah! Your strange brew??" piped up Gerald, smiling as he eyed the pitcher.  
"What of course." Antoine answered smiling back.  
As Gerald poured himself a large glass of the green foamy liquid, the girls had lost interest in the male interaction and left, while Kain went to sit upon the dry summer grass and eat while playing with dibbuns, Vanguard grew a little more serious, but not by much, "So, are you going to be a cook your entire life or are you going to join up with the guard like me and practically the lot of us?"  
"You know Van, I did take an apprenticeship on cooking, I think I'll stick with it, don't drag me into your little fetish with fighting." Answered Antoine, smiling and leaning on his paws, facing Vanguard.

***

The fox knelt beside the calm riverside, shaded by large and leaf-covered oaks, as he held a clenched paw to his mouth deep in thought. A black cape that draped the area around him due to its length covered his body. A twitch of the ear, he heard someone coming. The pawstep was heavy, clumsy, uncalculated. 'It must be Talus.' Thought the fox, unmoving, even his eyes, which stayed transfixed on the tame current.  
"'Ello der Rubay! Watta ya lookin et??" called out an oafish weasel, large and fat. Short and stout also, he was dressed in a blue tunic that appeared to be busting at the seams. Waving and grinning with only a small percentage of his teeth left, the weasel bumbled forward.  
The fox merely turned his head, eyes still uncaring and looking at nothing in particular as he spoke nonchalantly to the weasel, "I've told you time and again Talus, my name is Rubicant."  
"Oh! Blimy me Ruby-can't! Beggin muh pardon sir, da troop iz getting ressless, they needs some action."  
Reaching out and plucking up a small white pedaled wild flower, Rubicant continued speaking with care the last thing on his voice, "Tell them to spar with one another, I'm busy."  
"Wit wot sir?"  
"I'm having another vision, it would help if your stinking pile of weasel matter were not around to bother me." Rubicant then slowly crushed the flower inside his fist, then opened it dropping the petals on the dew-laden grass.  
The weasel went pale under his blubber and started backing away, paws clasped together in front of what could be called his chest, "Ohhhhhhh lordy...I'm sorry sir, please forgive me, I din knew you was havin a vision…" With his last syllable, he turned around, then smartly and swiftly marched away.  
A small and evil smile crossed the fox's lips, Talus was a good one too keep around, mostly for comic relief. Closing his eyes, Rubicant proceeded to enter the fullness of this new vision. He stood tall among a large pile of dead woodlanders inside the walls of Castle Zion. The air hung heavy with the scent of victory, the scent of death. Rubicant was standing on the bodies, his cape enclosing him as he looked up to the cloud blackened sky and wept tears of joy. The heat from a large fire behind him warmed his backside as bodies of the dead were being burned in bonfires. His minions all were on the inner grounds of the castle, being drunk and merry, singing slurred songs while leaning heavily upon each other, kicking at the dead bodies or spitting on them from time to time. Soon, the dark clouds overhead started to rumble, and a loud clap of thunder echoed through the land as a light drizzle of rain fell on the victors with large flashes of lightning in the distance.

***

King Ardor sat up abruptly in a cold sweat, panting heavily, his face engraven with horror. His quick sky-blue eyes looked to his side, to see his lovely wife Eva sleeping soundly beside him, he then looked out the large window to his other side. Dark clouds had rolled over the land, a light drizzle fell. Ardor's breathing slowed down, realizing he had been waken by a clap of thunder apparently. Still, the things he saw in his cruel dream could not be written off as easily. This, wasn't the first time he had had one of this nature either, and that disturbed him greatly. Placing his paws over his face, and running them down he felt wet, almost as if he had been in that rain. He was drenched with sweat. Carefully, for his wife, he slipped from his bed and crossed the room to the sink and twisted the stopper slightly so a small outage of water poured from it. He rinsed his paws and brought his head down and gave his face a good rub down with the cool rainwater. Standing up, he looked into the mirror at the dark figure that stared back from the mirror. Lightning flashed and the figure that was staring back at him was not him, but a robed fox, grinning sadistically with slitted red eyes. The lightning flash was over and King Ardor stood leaning against the sink with a paw over his heart, breathing rapidly. He was still staring into the now unidentifiable figure in the mirror, and when the lightning flashed again, it was merely him. A frightened mouse, haggard from another sleepless night and with eyes full of terror.  
  
Gentle wind pushed the light rain off into a slanted angle outside the window. With his eyes looking out into the dim light of the late evening, Vanguard sat on his desk in the now dusk classroom which was illuminated only by four large lanterns that hung from the beams of wood overhead, watching the rain and wind outside the western window.  
"What are you doing up so late Van?" asked Teran yawning, covering her mouth with a dainty paw. Her shoulder and head leaned against the frame of the door tiredly.  
Simply smiling and hopping off the desk, he stood closer to the thick window, paws behind his back, "What are YOU doing up so late Teran? Your practically sleep walking."  
"I was going to the bathroom and on my way back to my bed, I didn't see you in yours." A small smile now caressed her petite lips, her eyes closed.  
"Oh really now? C'mon sis, I gotta get you to bed." Still smiling he wrapped his arms around Teran's waist and hoisted her over his shoulder.  
"No Van, I'm not tired." She continued, still smiling, voice growing weaker, eyes still closed.  
"Gosh, it's just like when we were kids eh sis?" Musing memories in his mind, Vanguard replied.  
"Mmm, hmm..." she was now asleep.  
Chuckling lightly, Vanguard slowly and carefully started descending the wide and winding staircase from the tower to the upper compartments. After he had been orphaned by his parents' sacrifice, Vanguard was taken in by the kindly Chancellor Ardor and his wife, Eva. They had no children of their own, and the youthful Ardor was a dear close friend with Vanguard's father, Aegis. The two warriors had served in the guard together, climbing in rank. After Ardor felt he had climbed high enough, he stopped and turned to the virtues of being a scholar, and the talents of the fine arts, while Aegis continued to climb, all the way to Chief of the Guard. Aegis was a stalwart of the monarchy, true in honor and valor, which was shown in countless battles and deeds. King Tryce wished to reward Aegis by giving him a special set of swords, the only two swords of their kind. The set was called a daisho, and consisted of a long blade and a shorter blade. Both were slightly curved and pounded a hundred times sharp by the skilled blacksmith's and metal workers of the Castle Zion. The rarest and best metals were used on the daisho. When asked to name the fine blades, Aegis christened the long blade Katana, and the short blade Wakizashi. Despite the fact of the incredible power housed within the blades, Aegis only used them for ceremonial purposes, and instead kept his broadsword closer at paw. After Tryce's mysterious death, the people of the castle elected that Chancellor Ardor be ordained as the new King. It was during, after, and before these times that Vanguard received his schooling, and was taught to use the daisho by the only one in the castle that could wield them with true skill. Kain's father, Hiroshi-Kama-Tzu, or Hiro as he was more often called. Hiro was the one who suggested, and directed the blacksmiths and metal workers in the creation of the daisho. He was a warrior and combatant in the truest sense. Teaching Vanguard and Kain in tandem was a hard, but fulfilling task. Vanguard was eager to learn, while Kain could care less for war or combat. It was this, and Hiro's spite for Kain's pacifism, that nearly drove a wedge between the twos' friendship. However, when the two friends both turned the age of thirteen, Kain's father left west on a quest, and never returned.  
But, what of Teran, how does she fit into the picture? A year after the death of Vanguard's parents, Teran was born to an ecstatic Chancellor Ardor and Tribune Eva. Not only did they have their own child of the flesh, but it was a beautiful girl, and wonderful complimentary sister for Vanguard. Younger only by a year, the two were like unto peaches and cream, a perfect pair. They played, laughed, and learned together until Vanguard began getting older, and the age gap turned into a chasm. Then they became bitter, yelling, shouting, and screaming insured until, the chasm filled with age and kindness and maturity. Then they were the best of friends yet again, but the memories of Vanguard early adolescence and the effects of it on their relationship were still being felt.  
Bare pawsteps slapped lightly against the stone steps of the stairwell as they finally came to the end and Vanguard looked upon Teran in the soft light that radiated from evenly spaced wall torches. She was a beautiful creature, proportioned body, shy face, and thin lips. Taking a deep breath, he turned right and went down the southern corridor of the northwestern junction. Finally he stopped and faced a door that beheld a small plaque of stone with, 'Princess Teran' engraved upon it. Reaching out with care, he grasped the handle and opened the door. Stepping into the young mousemaids' chambers, Vanguard walked to the maids' bedroom and gently laid her down upon the bed. Smiling, he rubbed her head and bent down, kissing her cheek. He stood, feeling a little silly for still treating her like such a young creature, but couldn't help but feel justified considering how much he cared for her. Swiftly he exited and quietly closed the door, and went back up the hallway a mere ten doors and entered his. The door was open, as he always left it. Walking straight in, he was soon standing in front of his bed. Taking a deep breath he turned around, fell onto the bed on his back, closed his eyes and tried to sleep.


	3. Chapter 2

The tolling of Orion's Bell rang loudly over the castle grounds, calling out the time. Groaning and turning onto his back from laying on his side, Vanguard stretched out his thin frame and commented, "Oh yes, love the early morn..." Sitting up with his legs hanging over the side of his bed, he yawned again, eyes closed and rubbing his neck. Hearing a light knock at his open door, he opened his eyes and turned to see Antoine standing in the doorframe, "Hey Antoine, what's up?" asked Vanguard, smiling tiredly.  
"Van, something terribles happened."  
  
Vanguard stood in the bedchamber, shaking with rage and eyes watering with sorrow. Arms crossed tight, and throat constricted; he looked upon Kain's lifeless body. "Who did this?"  
His eyes were closed; he'd been sleeping. There was a large wound running from his neck to his stomach, a wound that appeared to have been caused by a battle-ax. He must have been sleeping soundly, and the attacker must have been skilled in the ways of stealth.  
"We don't know Matthew, we'll get to the bottom of this." Replied Tribune Darryl as he stood from kneeling, and placed a white sheet over the young badger's body. Darryl was a tall and muscular hare, with dark sandy fur and dark brown eyes, he was Tribune to The Guard. Under the King and Queen was the Chancellor. On level with the Chancellor, were the twelve Tribunes. The Chancellor was head of the tribunes, but still on level with them. The Tribunes were each actively associated with the various aspects of the Castle. The Tribune of Scholarly, the Tribune of Victuals, the Tribune of Affairs, and the Tribune of The Guard. There were others as well.   
Vanguard continued to stand, slightly shaking as a few tears streaked his face, "Good..."  
  
"I can't believe this happened...I'm sorry Van..." soothed Queen Eva as she hugged him warmly.  
"Thank you mother..." choked out Vanguard as he hugged back tightly and wept into her shoulder.  
"We'll find who did this Van, Darryl will find who did this..." She then rubbed his back vigorously and stroked the back of his neck with care while he let the bile of the past events drain from him emotionally as a few tears slipped from her own brown eyes, which were now closed.  
  
Vanguard walked into the room. Gerald, Antoine, Sypha, and Teran where already there. It was the classroom, sunset. Deep yellow light shone into the wooden room, dust particles could be seen floating about slowly. The quartet of friends all sat on a desk looking out the western window, watching the sun make it's dip into the horizon. Leaning against each other, they made almost no sound, but each turned their heads at the noise of the door creaking slowly open.  
Standing in the doorway with reddened eyes Vanguard asked in a weak voice, "What are you guys doing?"  
As he Vanguard walked his way over Teran answered back feebly, "Just, watchin' the sunset bro..."  
"Neat..." he replied as he sat next to his sister on the far end and looked out over the land with them.  
Silence...painful silence that pierced each of theirs hearts like a sandy needle filled the air for a hanging moment until Antoine swallowed heavily, his mind full of questions like, 'Why?', then he asked aloud, quietly, "Who could have done this..?"  
The silence was now shattered, and the question that was already floating around everyone's mind, was now made material. The creatures turned their heads down, looking at the bare wooden floor. "We don't know Antoine..."started Sypha, "I just hope that it doesn't stay that way.."

***

"I trust you were successful?"  
"Of course Rubicant, you _are_ speaking to Pyros, are you not?"  
"Of course of course, silly me." Responded Rubicant, standing in the entrance to a large tan tent. His cloak was drawn close to him, and still there was excess cloth lying on the ground about him. The chill night air knifed into him.  
"Who is next?" asked Pyros, taking a step toward Rubicant. He stood behind the other fox, because he also was a fox. But his fur wasn't like Rubicant's rich orange, but rather it was an odd amalgam of colors. Streaks of white here, splashes of red there, and some orange for effect. It was all natural, too, which was also quite bizarre. The walking bonfire as some called him.  
"Rubicant! c'mere quick like!" Came a shout from deep in the vermin camp.  
"Now what could we have stumbled upon...?" asked Rubicant with a slight turn of his head to Pyros, smiling with merriment.  
"Hopefully dinner." Commented Pyros as he followed Rubicant from the tent, which was nicely secluded from the vermin camp.  
The moon shining brightly over the scene, the two foxes moved up and crested a small hill to the camp and saw all the vermin, crowded together. They were shouting, jeering, making all sorts of noise.  
"Everyone to order!!" shouted Rubicant over the horde, and soon within seconds all the vermin where standing with perfect posture in a circle around three other creatures who all were upon all fours on the ground.  
Moving through the sea of vermin, Rubicant entered the space where the three creatures where. Two hares and one squirrel, all moving very slowly, breathing deep and heavily. Picking up the only hare, who had a sword slinged to his belt, by the front of his tunic, Rubicant gave him a fierce backhand across the face and asked, "What is your name..?"  
Coughing up a spot of blood and swallowing, the hare lolled his head so that if faced the foxes and replied with a smirk, "Tha names Tribune Darryl, and by matter-a-chance, yor all under errest, by the divin' authoritay, of his most high-"  
CRACK!  
Darryl grunted out in pain as Rubicant dropped him to the ground after sternly head butting him. Drawing a long and thin sword from within his cloak, Rubicant then slashed out at the other hare who was now lying on his stomach. Screeching out in pain that he'd never felt before, the hare arched his back and floundered on the ground trying to put a paw over his wound. Darryl's eyes burned with hate and compassion as he reached out to help the young hare but Rubicant, in a flash of the sword, slit the back of his paw open, forcing him to grit his teeth and grasp the madly bleeding wound. While the young hare continued to writhe in agony, Rubicant then walked toward him, and stood upon his back with a footpaw, grinding his hard boot heel into the wound. Now screaming out in terror and pain, the hare feebly tried to throw the heavy fox off him but without success. Grasping the hare's ears, with little sympathy, Rubicant pulled his head back and in an arc of reflected light slashed the hare's throat open. Gurgling slightly while trying to cry out, the hare shook for a moment then died.  
With Darryl looking upon him with eyes like meteors of vengeance, Rubicant sheathed the sword into his cloak while stepping from the body and asked, "There will be no more games now, I trust?"

***

Sirius looked out over the early day from the castle's eastern rampart. Spreading his gentle brown wings wide, he took a deep breath and released it, letting his wings down. "Oops, careful there old bird." Muttered Sirius smiling lightly as he tipped his tiny spectacles back onto his beak. Mossflower Wood was dark and foreboding this hour, but would soon improve. The sun had yet to rise, and the land was washed over with dark grays and light violets. It was peaceful, serene, the busyness of the day was still a few more good hours off. Still looking over the forest, Sirius frowned slightly at the times ahead. A mysterious killed in the castle, and one of his beloved students the first victim. Kain's death had affected him ever more than he would allow, so as with every tragedy he'd encountered, he shut if out to some small corner in his wise brain. Hoping to lose track of it as he did with most of his memories. Looking out still, Sirius cocked his head slightly, attuning his ears to a small sound. The sound, like an ax chopping at a tree, but the sound wasn't like that of an ax, but a sword. Turning and descending the soft-maroon steps, and moving across the castle grounds to the source of the noise he found Vanguard in the castle orchard. He was panting heavily, gripping his father's broadsword while facing a tree that had deep chunks taken out of it from damages caused by the sword. Sweat coating his young body, Vanguard raised the blade in a high arc and struck out at the tree, placed a footpaw on the trunk as he wriggled the sword free, and began the process again.  
"Just like his father..." thought Sirius, head bowed and shaking.  
  
"How long has it been since Darryl has checked in?" asked King Ardor, sitting forward on his throne eyeing each of the eleven Tribunes.  
"Nearly two days your majesty." Responded Chancellor Solomon, an aged mole, short from many years of gravity and stout from many years or dinner. A pair of rectangular spectacles hanging from his long face, he folded his withered arms into his wide sleeves.  
"What about the other scouts?"  
"None have returned either, majesty."  
Sighing and sitting back, Ardor closed his eyes momentarily and rubbed at his temples. Darryl knew Mossflower too well to get lost, and he would never be on a search this long without checking back thought the young king. "What do you suggest we do Chancellor?" asked Ardor, sitting back up.  
"Wait another day, if no word comes, I suggest we place the Guard on alert and send out a number of small cadres to search for Darryl and the other search parties."  
"Is that really necessary you think?" asked Ardor, leaning forward a bit and looking up at the mole with blood shot eyes.  
"Sir, we cannot take chances, not after what happened all those years ago..." an odd silence followed what Solomon had said, every creature in the room had been close friends of the martyrs who gave their lives to save the castle.  
"Make it so then." Responded Ardor, sitting back and waving a paw, indicating the Tribunes and Chancellor to leave. As soon as they left and the large throne room doors were shut, Ardor settled back into his throne and fell into sleep.


	4. Chapter 3

Sypha, Gerald, Antoine, Teran and Vanguard all stood in front of Kain's headstone with reddened eyes and sore throats. Dusk was settling over the castle, and behind them members of the Guard were mobilizing about, gearing up, sparring and all that what not.  
"Ohh Kain..." whispered Sypha, a few more tears running down her already moistened face as she reached out with one paw and ran it along the curved top of the soft red hued headstone, with her other paw holding a kerchief to her mouth as she sobbed into it. None of the others made a move to comfort her, or say, "I'm sorry Sypha." Because this is all what they felt inside already, she was just the representative of their feelings.  
All the creatures were dressed in formal clothing from the service which had been held hours ago in the early morn, save Vanguard. Begging special permission to go with one of the cadre's from King Ardor, he received it and was issued orders to meet with his commander at sundown. So much like his father did he look. His face stalwart and dire, seemingly carved from granite. The armor was even his father's, well, what of it could be salvaged. The helmet with its long flaps of steel hanging over the sides of his head and the slight visor to shade his darkened hazel eyes. A large breastplate covered his body, made of light and strong metals it would allow him to move quickly in combat. After that, there were many slats of steel about his body placed in key points and fastened together with tough leather so not to hamper his movement. Slung across his back was his father's _daisho_. Taking a different course, he'd decided to train himself with the light and keen blades as opposed to the broadsword. Now, only at the age of eighteen he wielded them with style and grace, speed and elegance.  
Orion's Bell rang out slow and sad, signaling to the cadre's it was time to depart. The group all hugged Vanguard, and he hugged back. "Now you better come back now Van.." said Antoine with a small smile, swinging a paw and brushing Vanguard's arm.  
"Yeah Van, you better come back." Remarked Teran, going up and hugging her older brother again as he smiled a little, nodded and went to go check in with his commander.  
  
Commander Cert was a medium sized squirrel, thin shoulders and tiny brown eyes held within' a narrow face. Age was his friend, being he was only in his mid-twenties. But his mind was far more advanced than his years, cold and calculating he had the tactical and strategical skill to be master of chess at the castle. No noble could beat him. No other commander, no Tribune, and certainly no royal could. But his skill was in check and his ego non-existent. He acted as if he were the last in a great line of Commanders, and that it was up to him to uphold the honor and dignity of what it meant to be great. Not only was he intelligent, but he wasn't too shabby in combat either.  
"Vanguard reporting for duty sir." Shot out Vanguard in a tight voice as he stood straight up with head titled skyward, after a smart salute.  
It was near dark now, and the moon shone bright over the land. "Heh heh, at ease soldier, at ease.." replied Cert with a soft and compassionate voice.  
Head moving back into it's normal and comfortable position, Vanguard let out a deep breath and continued to stand straight up as he always did and crossed his paws behind him.  
"So..." started Cert, unrolling a scroll and scanning for Vanguard's name and profile, "this is your first outing as a...special member of the Guard. Congrats Van. It also says here you have an extensive skill with those swords strapped to your back. Well, let's just hope you won't be needing to use 'em now shall we?" finished Cert, a smile on his face as he patted Vanguard's shoulder.  
Smiling back and already taking a liking to Cert he replied, "No sir, let's hope not."  
"Please Van, call me Cert." He replied, moving beside Vanguard as he gently urged him forward so they soon started walking to be with the other members of the cadre. As they walked, Cert took the time to explain their mission in depth to the young mouse, "Ok Van here's our mission, which I'm sure you've already been explained. What we're going out there for is to find Tribune Darryl and any other members of the scouting parties. Now, we don't know what we're going to find out there, for all we know the idiot fell into a hole, but if for any reason we encounter battle our orders are to retreat back to the castle only if we can't handle it."  
"So if we encounter say a horde of vermin we should duunk-on-'em?" remarked Vanguard with a grin thinking of battle.  
"Nah, I think we should fall back in that instance." Replied Cert with a smile, "but if it's say a small band of vermin or something of the like we should attempt to subdue and capture. Though if it were a small band of vermin, Darryl would've been able to handle it, especially with backup..." his voice trailed off and smile faded momentarily, then bounced back, "But anyways, I doubt we'll encounter anything too exciting."  
  
"I've had a vision." Spoke Rubicant, his eyelids snapping open and his eyes clearing. He was sitting near the stream again, a cast iron plate of with a bird of some sort on it in front of him, untouched.  
Talus was laying on his side nearby lazily, rubbing his girth as he eyed the plate, then moved his sight to Rubicant after hearing his master speak, "Eh? Wot'd ye say Rubi-"  
"Cant! Rubicant you buffoon. Uhhh, why I keep you alive is beyond even my knowledge. I've had another vision pea brain." Said Rubicant, not too happy as he stood, arms crossed under his cloak.  
Looking up at the tall fox from the ground Talus replied, "I'm sorry Rubicant, oi really am."  
Grumbling, "Yes, I'm sure you are. Wake the troops, tell them to prepare for battle."  
"Bu' why?"  
Now growling he reached down and grabbed the unfortunate weasel by the front of his tunic and hauled him up, holding him off the ground and choking him off at the same time, "Because I said so!"

***

King Ardor stood in his bedroom, looking out the large western window, paws crossed behind his back. The sun had set, and now the horizon was a dark violet with streaks of blue and yellow, and the occasional orange. His face was tired and concerned as he looked out over the land.  
"Something's wrong love, what is it..?" asked Eva, walking up behind her mate, wrapping a slender arm about his waist and another up his chest with her paw on his shoulder, while resting her head against his.  
"Nothing dear, just thinking is all..." replied Ardor, rubbing the paw on his shoulder.  
"You think too much these days dear..." commented Eva tiredly, her eyes closed now and her body growing limp.  
"I know, I know..." Ardor whispered, holding her paw tight, looking over the land.

***

"Run for help somebody!" Vanguard shouted out over the melee. His heart beat a hundred times swift, the sounds of battle forcing their way into his ears and the adrenaline through his veins. The prim and trim uniforms and armor of the Guard mingled and dueled with the rag tag clothing of the vermin. They were surrounded, outnumbered nearly two to one, and more came. Having both swords drawn, Vanguard was faring well suffering only multiple slash wounds and an aching back. Bobbing and weaving he sliced through the vermin ranks in the chaos of battle, cutting down foe and saving friend.  
Nobody responded or reacted to his cry, everyone was in a battle for survival now. His eyes quickly scanned the scene, everything looked like a gray shade in the incandescent moonlight. Seeing Cert in midst of the creatures, Vanguard immediately dashed for him, twirling, spinning, slashing, and killing his way to his commander. "Commander!" he yelled out as he neared Cert, who had a large rat in a head lock for protection as he struck out with a light axe. "Commander!"  
"Van!" shouted back Cert, kicking the rat away then leaping into the air in a frenzy of downward strikes, "I told you to call me Cert!"  
"I'm sorry sir!" replied Vanguard, spinning around, cutting down a ferret who attempted to back stab him, "But we need to send someone to warn the Castle!"  
"I know Van! You go! Your the probably the fastest, you go!"  
"But sir I wanted to stay and-"  
"Van shut up and go now! I'm ordering you now! GO!"  
Taken aback slightly, but soon recovering, Vanguard turned and ran toward the castle. Without looking back.

***

"How many prisoners were taken?" asked Rubicant, sitting upon his makeshift throne in his spacious tent.  
Pyros stood before him, arms at his sides as he replied, "Fifteen sire."  
"Out of how many of their force again?"  
Smiling with mirth, Pyros answered, "One-hundred sire, was the original count before we engaged them in the wood."  
Closing his eyes and chuckling slightly, Rubicant spread his arms out and placed his paws on the rests, opening his cloak exposing a glittering array of weaponry and metals. "And only fifteen taken prisoner you say?" He began chuckling again and sat up, his cloak closing. "That is too good Pyros, merely too good. How many did you kill for your master?"  
Pyros now grinned and answered happily, getting on his knees before Rubicant, "Twelve slaughtered in your name, my lord."  
"Pyros, you have pleased me well."  
  
Cert's eyes flickered open, he was on his knees, heavy stones tied to his footpaws with his wrists bound above his head by a rope attached to some sort of support above him. Slowly his vision improved, the side of his face felt damp. He'd taken a heavy blow from a club atop the head before he lost consciousness. Looking around he saw he in some sort of low level cage, made from slats of wood. The slats that came up from the ground made a large rectangular perimeter, but it was obviously not meant to be a cage because of the sheer amount of space between each slat. Atop the slats, were more slats running length and width wise across the top of the make shift cage. It was on those ceiling like slats that that the rope that bound his wrists was to attached to. The only movement he was capable of was squirming.  
He groaned out, beginning to feel dizzy then he heard, "'Ello there messmate! Not a very jolly ole situation we've a gotten ourselves intah eh?"  
"Eh...?" was all Cert could manage as he looked around, there were more creatures from the cadres restrained in the same manner as he, but only fourteen other's, and Vanguard was nowhere to be seen.  
"Now dinna ya be ah tellin' me that ya don't even recognize yer ole pal Darryls' voice!"  
"Darryl?" said Cert, looking around more and barely seeing Darryl out the corner of his eye, restrained in the same manner as he behind him.  
"Yer darn tootin'!" replied Darryl, smiling a little, glad to see Commander Cert.  
"Darryl!" Cert's voice was now filled with joy, but it was bitter in his throat, "Darryl, we came looking for you, what happened? How much of your parties are alive? Are you injured?"  
Swallowing hard and feeling his content mindset vanish like a scent in the wind he answered, "None, none survived save meself and Jona. But...even Jona was killed, before me eyes mate...sufferin and the like..." his voice was straining now as he recalled his own nephew's horrific demise, as tears welled slowly in his sockets, "I ain't injured though," lied Darryl, so not to worry his friend, "only mah spirit...matey, these ere vermin are evil, sheer evil-"  
SNAP!  
Darryl shrieked out in pain, twisting and contorting his body after feeling the cruel cutting sting of a whip slice his back, leaving a fiery red cut across it.  
"Who gave you permission to whine to my prisoners you dirty hare?!" shouted out a thin and short ferret who wielded a whip and spear.  
Cert turned his head and shot at the ferret, "I did you pathetic excuse for a warrior! Try that on me and-"  
CRACK! SNAP!  
The whip fell twice across Cert's young body, once over his back, the second time over his chest. Cert, had never experienced pain of the caliber he felt now, not ever once in his life. He screamed out, crying out from the pain and madly thrashing his body, trying to escape the pain.  
The ferret merely smiled as he watched the show, and decided that the two had not yet learned their lesson.


	5. Chapter 4

King Ardor sat on his throne, looking out the large oval windows that lined the throne room walls. It was the morning. Sunlight flew in through the eastern windows illuminating the marble tiled floor. Slowly the large wooden doors squeaked open on their bronze hinges and Chancellor Solomon slowly strode in.  
"Sire, none of the cadres have checked in." spoke Solomon, slowly and eloquently like swallowing a dose of poison in honor of a passed on loved one.  
The lower half of Ardor's face looked as if he were ready to burst into tears, while his eyes remained dry. "What now Solomon...?"  
Blinking once or twice through his spectacles, he replied. "I have already placed the Guard on alert, the drawbridge has been raised and secured. Perimeter guards have been placed on a rotation schedule, with patrols going through the parade grounds. Also I've placed soldiers within the stronghold of the castle in key positions and readied the royal safe house."  
"Good...good..." answered Ardor, and continued, "I want Teran and Eva placed in the safe house immediately."  
"It shall be done milord."  
"Good, good...Solomon?"  
"Yes?"  
"What's going on? We've lost so many good people already, and to what we don't know, what, is going on??"  
"We don't know sir."  
"I'm scared, Solomon."  
"I am too sire."

***

"Sire, one of the prisoners has died." Said Pyros, standing before Rubicant who was sitting on his makeshift throne, eyes closed, merely relaxing back.  
Rubicant's eyes opened slowly, adjusted to the lamp light of the tent and then looked into Pyros' own eyes. "I see, how did he die?"  
"She, sire. Her wounds from the battle seemed to be too great, as were Artemos' beatings." Pyros had a slight smirk as he finished his sentence.  
"Ah, Artemos..." mused Rubicant, looking down, smiling, then raising his head again, "he always did have a penchant for the screams of a woman now didn't he?"  
"I believe he did, and if I am correct so do you. But rather, for the screams of a man." Replied Pyros now grinning at his master.  
"You always have been a keen one Pyros, nothing gets past you." Commented Rubicant, the same smile on his face as he stood. He was taller than Pyros, and larger too. Rubicant circled Pyros, looking over his body. "I've always admired your fur Pyros, so...out of the ordinary, so unnatural."  
"And I've always admired your gal Rubicant." replied Pyros.  
"Among other things." Rubicant then stopped in front of Pyros, and the two foxes stood facing each other, looking into one another's eyes.

***

It was early morn and a light haze of fog hung over the land and in the castle grounds. Teran sat with her parents a rectangular table in the inner sanctum of the castle partaking of breakfast. It was quiet with her parents, Vanguard gone, and the present situation.  
Pushing her emptied plate back, Teran turned her head slightly to look at her father and asked, "Since none of the cadre's returned on time and your mobilizing the Guard, what's going to happen?"  
Ardor tossed his napkin onto his own plate and rested back in his chair. "I'm not sure what's going to happen Teran."  
  
Still early in the morning the fog lay thick and voluminous over the battle field. Vanguard's eyes opened ever slowly to the dim grayness. Sitting up carefully he felt a sharp pain on his right side and lay back down, wincing and panting. He placed a paw there, a deep gash. Again he attempted to sit up and was able to ease himself into a position of comfort. It was dreary. Bodies lay scattered about him, the ground stained red with blood. 'What glory?' Thought Vanguard, remembering back to the days when Hiro taught Kain and himself of war and battle. Of the honor and glory to be had. Still ever slowly and carefully as to not incite anymore pain or injury, Vanguard took a knee then stoop leaning heavily upon his left side.  
KLINK...KLINK-KLACK....  
Taking a stance and reaching back to draw his katana, Vanguard nearly gasped aloud when he found that it was gone, he reached around a little and thankfully found his wakizashi and drew that. The sound was soft like the pots and pans of a travelers pack. Then they came into view. It was a pair of rats, both lanky and thin with gnarled faces of vileness. They moved from body to body in the fog, taking weapons and armor from their fallen comrades and Vanguards'.  
"Halt scum!" shouted out Vanguard to the pair.  
They stopped dead in their tracks then slowly looked to Vanguard. It seemed they saw his wound as they looked to each other and each grinned widely then drew a dagger and began slowly advancing toward the wounded mouse.  
"Drop what you have stolen petty thieves and be gone!" Vanguard shouted out once more. Still, they slowly advanced. Though wounded, he was more than capable to decimate a couple of grimy bums.

Sorry but don't expect any more.I wrote this a good number of moons and like so many others has died.Though please don't let that stop you from reviewing if you made it this far, please? :o)


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